


Two Sides of the Same Coin

by jinx22



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Eventual Happy Ending, I mean that last one, M/M, Slow Burn, bad communication skills
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:00:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25261240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jinx22/pseuds/jinx22
Summary: A difficult choice regarding two sides, and the building tension between two people who have ignored their feelings for seven years.
Relationships: Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra
Comments: 3
Kudos: 22





	Two Sides of the Same Coin

“Lady Edelgard!”

“Claude, it’s been too long.” Edelgard greets him back as he walks up the stairs towards her throne.

“Much too long.” Comes Claude’s voice next, not hesitating in kneeling down in front of her, arm crossed against his chest. 

A moment passes between them, one where their eyes meet and they exchange something before Claude is standing back up again. “Come, we have much to discuss.”

Edelgard nods, and attempts to pull herself up from her chair - a lot more frail than she looked sitting down, to which Hubert steps forwards in an attempt to help. 

But Edelgard waves him off, instead reaching for Claude’s arm to help pull herself up, thanking him quietly much to Hubert’s displeasure as he stands there sneering. 

“I feel as if it will be better if the two of us chat alone, your Majesty.” Is what comes next. Edelgard dips her head in a nod, turning to Hubert to say something he can’t quite catch from where he’s standing, that leaves an ugly scowl on his face when-

“Ferdinand, Hubert will show you around the castle now. Please make yourself at home.” There’s a small smile from her and a nod from Claude, before they are both gone. 

Leaving Ferdinand standing in the room with a man who is currently shooting him daggers.

“It’s been a-”

“If he so much as upsets her, you’re both going to wish you never came back to Adrestria.”

Silence follows. 

A lot has changed, Ferdinand knows, but it seems as if Hubert was the one thing that has not. He closes his mouth, eyebrows drawing together into a frown as he carefully takes in Hubert pacing back and forth in front of the door. Looking more gaunt than usual, looking pale and - although not as sickly as her Majesty - nearing it.

“We did not travel for days to upset someone. Claude has been in contact with her throughout this whole ordeal anyway, why would that suddenly change now?”

Hubert just scowls back, turning back to the door and continuing his obsessive pacing. He doesn’t answer the question the whole time and, rather than annoy Ferdinand as it might have once, it only makes the edges of his lips tip up in amusement. 

It was almost funny to see Hubert still had the same stick up his behind.

Hubert continues his pacing, and Ferdinand watches on whilst imagining the cogs turning in his brain as he goes through all the various outcomes the situation could lead into. It wasn’t a secret Edelgard was ill, and although no one knew the extent of it Ferdinand was sure she would struggle to defend herself against a knife if Claude were to attack.

Except he wouldn’t, because that’s not why they were here. If he was desperate for Edelgard to fall, he wouldn’t have spent years connecting with her. Not to mention the fact that Edelgard knew enough about trust to know who she could rely on, or sit in an undefended room with.

Thus, “Am I going to need to tour myself around, Hubert?”

Another glare, and then the footsteps of pacing, before Ferdinand hears Hubert finally turning on his spot and walking up to Ferdinand - close enough that one could see the bags under his eyes, the grey hue of his skin. The dark purple under his sleeve where it drops down, proving years of magic usage with no healing or skin care.

“No.” Hubert says back, lifting a finger up before angrily putting it back down again. “You are not to move from this spot until-”

“This spot?”

Hubert scowls back at him, looking like he is ready to attack him, “You don’t cease to annoy me, Ferdinand. In all those years apart one would have thought you would have grown at least slightly.”

Ferdinand doesn’t snap back as he once might have, instead he takes his time - scanning Hubert’s features, the deep cuts along his neck that slide into his shirt, the way his lip twitches. And it must frustrate Hubert, before his hands fist at his sides, and he looks about ready to throttle Ferdinand until he can see the restraint forming as he drags himself away. 

Ferdinand isn’t sure why he’s almost sad, at that. Maybe it’s because if they had ended up in a fight, against a wall, it would have reminded him of days long gone.

\---

Ferdinand struggles to hold back his tears as he slams the swinging door behind him as he runs into the stables. 

His lip hurts from where he bites it to stop a sob from bubbling from his lips, and he rubs his hands over his face as tremors shake through his small frame. 

It was just awful.

But he knew it was the right thing to do.

Fresh tears well in the corners of his eyes and he rubs at them fiercely, telling himself that no, he is fine. That this is the way that it needs to be, that in doing this he is securing the safety of those whom he loves most.

This is fine. It’s fine, it’s fine, it’s fine.

Yet his restraint crumbles and another sob builds and this time he cannot contain it because he has spent so long with these people, these friends of his and now he’s throwing it away -- throwing away those connections and those moments.

Especially one person in particular.

So he allows the sob to fall from his lips, and fists his hands at his sides and dips his chin into his chest as he stands there sniffling like a child.

"How dare you."

It wasn't even a question. 

Ferdinand fists his hands harder at his sides, but as he hears the footsteps of someone walking closer he lifts a hand to rub it across his red eyes and his snotty nose and, mustering the strongest stare of defiance that he can, he turns towards said intruder.

And Ferdinand knows that when he turns he should not be surprised that it is Hubert who stands there with his arms crossed and his stupid hair covering one side of his stupid face that carries that dumb smirk he does whenever he thinks he’s better than anyone else.

But despite himself, Ferdinand is surprised.

Perhaps because Hubert had found out so quickly? Had come to find him so quickly - it must mean something. So he rubs his hands over his eyes again as he musters up the best glare he can, towards Hubert. “I’m doing what is right.”

"You’re a coward." The reply comes back quickly and it stings.

He presses his lips together, forcing himself to keep Hubert’s gaze.

“I’m not.” He says it a bit pathetically, and the way Hubert’s jaw clenches makes his hands shake at his sides. “I am doing what is right for the people, it is so unnecessary to fight-“

“Unnecessary?” Hubert bites back, cutting him off, “it is completely necessary and we must honour Her Majesty's wishes and the truth.”

The truth.

What was this truth everyone speaks about? The truth of life? Of the way they live, fighting and obsessing over crests and power and nobility?!

Ferdinand cannot help the anger that builds inside of him, and with tears streaking his cheeks he faces Hubert head on, lips pressed into a tight line before he opens his mouth. “The truth you speak of, is that war is pointless and if we worked together, with Lady Edelgard’s ideals but the mind of Sir Riegan and his help from the Allia-“

Something in Hubert's eyes grows darker, and he takes a step forward, growing taller - if that is even possible, to the point where he towers over Ferdinand who just feels small under him.

"You are naive." His voice is just as dark as his eyes, and the way his top lip curls in disgust, "Naive and a traitor.” 

And he says it in such a way that makes it hurt more than if anyone else had said it. Perhaps because in his head, he had thought that maybe Hubert would have understood. That throughout their time, growing together, learning each other and becoming what Ferdinand would have even called friends in some instances that Hubert would have respected this choice. He would have seen the benefits of joining the Golden Deer, and the alliance. 

It could have been anyone else standing right there and Ferdinand would have stood proud with his chest out but to hear those words from Hubert now, after everything... 

But now Hubert acts as if he does not even know who Ferdinand is, like they do not share the same wants for the future or the same wishes. Like Ferdinand, in changing sides, isn't doing what he thinks, what he knows, is right for the land and for his people. 

"I’m not." His voice wavers pathetically and Hubert’s top lip twitches in a snarl.

"You are. You’re brainwashed, there is no way out of this unless we pull away. Put an end to those who disagree.”

More tears well in Ferdinand’s eyes, but he refuses to look away from Hubert, opening his mouth to bite back some sort of reply but not having a chance before Hubert is interrupting again.

This time he stalks forwards, reaching out a hand to grab Ferdinand by the chin and roughly tilt his head up to, what Ferdinand presumes, get a closer look at the tears that streak his cheeks. "Do you really think that one person, one annoying kid, can change destiny?" 

Of course not.

But it moves something inside of him, shifts something, and Ferdinand meets his eyes as he blows air from his nose.

"I can at least try.” Ferdinand almost, almost, snarls back. “Through knowledge, through teaching we can create a better future for everyone to work together!”

Hubert laughs, darkly, and squeezes Ferdinand’s face harder until Ferdinand twists around to get him off, gripping onto Hubert's wrist in an attempt to shove him away and almost succeeding if not for the height advantage Hubert has.

His blunt nails dig into Hubert's bony arms, and he grunts as Hubert shoves him backwards into the wooden stable wall with a thud, squirming up against his body and growling as he wrestles the arm that pins him there. All while the anger within him grows hotter, grows bigger, grows deeper.

Ferdinand wouldn’t let himself be pushed around anymore.

"I can at least try, and know that even if it fails I did more than sit around being a lapdog." He spits out, all flames and fire now as he shoves back against Hubert's chest and wrestles free of his tree-branch-limbs. 

"Let me go!" It's snapped louder and this time when Hubert only smirks bigger; keeping him pinned to the wall, Ferdinand uses what force he can to push back into him and shove them both off the wall against Hubert's restraints.

They’re both breathing heavily as Hubert staggers away, looking mildly offended as Ferdinand rubs his eyes on his shoulders once more. The ridiculous man before him is impossible to read, standing there with his apathetic expression, dark eyes that sink into the bags on his face - had he not been sleeping? 

So with another sob and another rub of his sleeve against his nose he meets Huberts gaze, "come wit' me," it's almost a plea. 

Hubert scoffs, nose wrinkling, but his voice is a bit less angry now and a bit more hurt, “and why on earth would I do that?" 

"Because I-.. we could work together and fix this- together-"

A moment passes between them, like many moments had between this day, where their heartstrings tug with want and Hubert’s throat bobs when he swallows. 

Perhaps for a moment there, Hubert considers it, but then he opens his mouth and his voice is like venom.

"If you think that I would abandon her after everything we have been through for the likes of someone like you, then you must be more daft than I could have ever imagined."

Silence falls between them, and their gazes lock for a split second more before Hubert is snarling like an animal again. "Get out. Do not approach me or her Majesty again."

So he does. Like a coward, running from the stable with tears streaming down his cheeks as Hubert stands and watches. 

He leaves with a pain in his gut, and a head that pounds and a heart that breaks.


End file.
